|    FM Home   |    FM News   |    FM Forum   |    FM Blog   |   
Monday 22nd of March 2010

News Tag: demand

March 16, 2010

Shell steps up cost-cutting programme with further job losses

by Kay Murchie
”Shell
Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has today announced it will axe a third of its global petrol station network and shed a further 1,000 jobs by the end of next year, as part of its ongoing cost cutting programme. The Anglo-Dutch firm, which is Britain’s second largest oil company, has been hit by a slump in demand for ...



March 15, 2010

Asking prices up just 0.1% in March

by Kay Murchie
Asking prices up just 0.1% in March
Property website, Rightmove, has today reported the annual growth in asking prices for residential property in England and Wales for the four weeks to March 6 slowed for the first time in a year. On an annual basis, growth slowed from 6.1% in February to 5.3% in March, while on a monthly basis, asking prices rose just 0.1% between the four ...



Passenger numbers in record slump at UK airports

by Kay Murchie
”Passenger
Figures published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have revealed a severe decline in passenger numbers across UK airports in 2009. According to the CAA, the UK's airports handled 7.4% fewer passengers in 2009 than in 2008 - marking the biggest drop since records began just after World War II. It was also the first time levels have fallen two years ...



March 11, 2010

“Blue skies ahead”, say IATA

by Kay Murchie
“Blue skies ahead”, say IATA
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global airline industry is improving, with both passenger and freight numbers expected to grow this year. In January, the industry body said 2009 saw the biggest decline in air passenger traffic since the aftermath of World War II. The global economic downturn had a devastating impact on the airline industry, which led to a slump ...



March 7, 2010

US consumer borrowing rises for first time in a year

by Kay Murchie
”US
The Federal Reserve has announced borrowing by American consumers grew for the first time in a year in January. According to the central bank, consumer credit rose 2.4% or $5 billion (£3.3 billion) compared with the previous month to a total of $2.45 trillion. It was the first increase after a record 11 months of declines and represented ...



March 2, 2010

Australia raises interest rates to 4%

by Kay Murchie
’Australia
As widely expected, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has raised interest rates from 3.75% to 4%. The RBA has increased interest rates four times since October and many analysts believe interest rates could hit 4.25% in the short-term. Australia is one of the few developed economies not to have fallen into recession like its counterparts throughout the world. The economy only ...



February 22, 2010

Taiwan and Thailand’s GDP surges due to demand from China

by Kay Murchie
Taiwan and Thailand’s GDP surges due to demand from China
There was further evidence of Asia leading the global recovery today after Taiwan's economy grew at an annualised rate of 18% in the final quarter of 2009. The strong performance was fuelled by demand for hi-tech products from top buyer China and other key export markets in the region. Last month, Taiwan exports experienced their strongest growth in more ...



February 4, 2010

Shell Q4 profits plunge 75%

by Kay Murchie
”Shell
Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has today posted a 75% fall in profits for the fourth quarter to $1.2 billion (£755 million), compared with the $4.8 billion the company made a year ago. The Anglo-Dutch company, which is Britain’s second largest oil company, has been hit by a slump in demand for oil from a weak global economy. For the full 2009-year, the ...



February 1, 2010

Exxon posts 23% fall in Q4 profits

by Kay Murchie
Exxon posts 23% fall in Q4 profits
Exxon Mobil, which is the world’s largest oil company, has today announced a 23% fall in fourth quarter profits. The company reported profits of $6.05 billion (£3.8 billion) for the three months to December 31, compared with $7.82 billion in the same period a year earlier. Revenues grew 7% to $89.84 billion exceeding analysts expectations and up from the $84.7 billion ...



January 29, 2010

Microsoft profits soar due to high demand for Windows 7

by Kay Murchie
”Microsoft
Microsoft, the world’s largest software company, has announced its profits for the October to December period and has exceeded analysts expectations. The software giant, which released the Windows 7 operating system in October, said net profit came in at $6.66 billion (£4.13 billion) for the three months to 31 December 2009, compared with the $4.18 billion it posted ...



January 27, 2010

Airline industry suffers worst ever year

by Kay Murchie
”Airline
The airline industry has been hit hard during the global economic downturn, which has led to a slump in demand for air travel with fewer people travelling. Many airlines went bust during the downturn, not just due to a fall in demand but also as a result of higher fuel prices. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 2009 saw the biggest ...



January 25, 2010

Ericsson announces more job losses as profits slump

by Kay Murchie
”Ericsson
Swedish telecoms equipment maker Ericsson is to eliminate a further 1,500 jobs, as it posted a 92% slump in fourth quarter profits. The company said net profit for the October to December period was 314 million kronors (£27 million), compared with 3.89 billion kronors in the same period a year earlier. The results were far worse than analysts had expected. Meanwhile, ...



January 12, 2010

House price rises slow in December

by Gill Montia
”House
UK house prices rose at a slower pace in December, as the gap between supply and demand narrowed. A new survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reveals that 30% more Chartered Surveyors reported a rise, rather than a fall, compared with 35% reporting a rise in November. However, a significant majority of surveyors were still recording price increases in ...



January 11, 2010

Bankruptcy looming for Japan Airlines

by Kay Murchie
”Bankruptcy
Troubled Japan Airlines (JAL) is expected to enter bankruptcy proceedings within the next couple of days, according to reports. It is believed the state-owned Development Bank of Japan has already agreed to the bankruptcy. The airline, which is Asia’s largest carrier, is grappling with a mountain of debt and it is currently under the watchful eye of the state-backed turnaround body (the Enterprise Turnaround ...



December 9, 2009

Scrappage scheme dents demand for used cars

by David Masters
Scrappage scheme dents demand for used cars
Demand for second hand cars is in decline as consumers increasingly opt to buy new models under the car scrappage scheme. Research by Sainsbury's Finance found 8% of adults plan to buy, or have bought, a used car between September 2009 and February 2010. This is compared to the 10% of consumers who planned a used car purchase between March and August ...



December 7, 2009

German factory orders see unexpected fall in October

by Kay Murchie
German factory orders see unexpected fall in October
The Economy Ministry in Berlin has today revealed a fall in German factory orders for the month of October. The monthly fall of 2.1% was the first in eight months and came as a surprise after analysts had expected the recent rise in orders to continue. The fall was led by a slump in export demand. Germany is Europe's largest ...



Surge in Chinese car sales and production

by Kay Murchie
”Surge
Chinese state media has reported that annual car sales and production in China has accelerated and topped the 12 million mark to the end of November. In addition, the Xinhua News Agency reported that the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers expects car sales and production to exceed 13 million units for the full year. China has never produced more than 10 million ...



JAL shares up on Government funding rumours

by Kay Murchie
”JAL
Struggling Japan Airlines (JAL) saw it shares soar 7% to 107 yen today after speculation that the Japanese Government is looking to guarantee about 700 billion yen ($7.8 billion; £4.7 billion) in loans to the debt-laden airline. Since 2001, JAL, which is Asia’s largest carrier, has been bailed out four times by the Government. The airline has been struggling amid the global ...



ATMs to dispense more £5 notes in New Year

by Kay Murchie
”ATMs
In a bid to boost circulation of the £5 note, the Bank of England has said it will urge major banks to increase the availability of £5 notes in their ATMs. Fivers change hands quickly and, as a result, only last around a year before becoming too damaged to use. In comparison, the £50 note is usually in ...



November 25, 2009

bmi plans 600 job losses

by Kay Murchie
”bmi
Low-cost airline bmi has announced plans to axe around 600 jobs as part of a restructuring plan. The carrier, like many others around the world, has been hit by a slump in demand, higher fuel prices and increased competition. The economic downturn has meant many airlines have been forced out of business as fewer people are travelling by air. The restructure at bmi will see ...